Tow connector float



Parltt S. Emery, Jr., 200 N. 3rd St., Elwood, Ind.I

v3,294,053 l 'row CONNECTOR FLOAT 46036 Filed-Aug. 27, 1965, Ser. No. 483,126 s claims. (ci. 4114-235) The present invention relates to a tow connector` float, and is primarily concerned with the provision of an in-` expensive, yet highly effective, device which, when connected between a hitch rope secured to a boat and one or l device which may be inexpensively produced from synthetic plastic, whichisv adapted for the ready connection thereto andvdiscvonnection therefrom of a pluralitymof separate tow lines, and .which embodies novel, inexpensive and easily-manipulable means for facilitating the-op'- erative association therewith of any selected number'of separate tow lines within a predetermined range.

Further objects of the invention will appear as the description proceeds.

To theaccomplishment of the above and related objects, my invention may be embodied in the form illustrated in the accompanying drawings, attention being called to the fact, however, that the drawings are illustrative only, and that change may he made in the specific construction illustrated and described, so long as the .scope of the appended claims is not violated.

FIG, l is a somewhat diagrammatic view illustrating the mode of use to which the present connector is adapted;

`FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective of the body portion of the said connector, illustrating its reduced nose and tail portions;

PIG. 3 is a' perspective view of a cap forming an element of my invention; l

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the connector in assembled condition; and

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal section through the assembled connector, illustrating fragments of two tow lines operatively connected thereto.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, it will be seen that in FIG; 1 l have illustrated my tpg/ Mcgrnlector oat attached by a hitch rope 11 to a towing boat 12,` said connector having associated therewith two tow lines 13 and 14 through which two water skiers 15 and 16 are being towed by the boat 12.

As is most clearly illustrated in FIG. 5, the connector float 10 comprises an integral, hollow body dening an internal, water-tight chamber 17 so proportioned that, if the float becomes disconnected from the boat 12, its buoyancy will be suliicient to keep it aoat while supporting the rope 11 and the tow lines 13 and 14 as well as any further tow lines which may be associated with it.

At its rear or distal end, the oat body is formed with a solid, reduced, preferably cylindrical tail portion 18'; and at its forward or proximal end said body is formed with a further reduced stud or nose portion 19. The nose portion 19 is formed with a transverse opening 20 therethrough whereby the lioat may be attached, either directly or through an intervening hook, catch or eye, to the hitch rope 11.

The reduction of the tail portion 18 defines a d'stally facing shoulder 21 at its juncture with the main body portion; and the body is formed with a plurality of peripherally-spaced lingers 22, 22 whose distal portions 23, 23 are inturned to overlie the shoulder 21 in axially-spaced relation thereto. v

Near it proximal end, the tail portion 18 is formed with 3,294,053 Patented Dec. 27, 1965 ice" a plurality of peripherally-spaced, outwardly opening cavities such as thoseindicated at 24 and 25 in FIG. 5. As shown, four such cavities are provided, but it will be understood that any desired number thereof may be provided, within the limitations established by the perimetral dimension of the tail portion 18. For each such' cavity, there is provided a groove such as those indicated by the reference numerals 26 and 27, each such groove extend ing from its cavity through the distal end of the tail portion 1S, and opening also through the perimeter of 2me tail portion 18.

Each cavity 24, 2S is proportioned and designed to re ceive the knotted or otherwise-expanded end 28 or 30 of one ofthe ropes 13 or 14, each such rope being accommodated in the corresponding groove 26 or 27 to extend rearwardly away from the tioat.

A cap 32, which may conveniently be formed of the same kind of material from which the float body is made, is proportioned and designed snugly to embrace the whole perimetral surface of the tail portion 1S, said cap being provided with a number of radially-outwardly extending ears 33 and 34, corresponding in number and spacing to thetingers 23, 23, and each such ear beingdimensioned for snug reception between one of said fingers and the shoulder 21, as is clearly illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5. Obviously, said cap overlies and closes the openings of the cavities and their associated grooves through the perimeter of the tail section 1S, thus confining the ropes and their enlarged ends 28 and 30 within their respective grooves and cavities. Preferably, the distal end of the cap 32 is formed to provide an intumed ange 35 which overlies the radially outward regions of the grooves 26 and 27.

At a point in the interior of the cap 32 near the distal end thereof, there is formed an integral key 36 soarranged, with respect to the ears 33 and 34, that when said ears are fully seated .between the lingers23 and the shoulder 21, said key will be seated in one of the rope-accommodating grooves. When four sets of cavities and grooves are provided, as in the illustrated form 'of the invention, the key 36 will be peripherally offset from the median point of either of the ears 33 and 34 by 90.

It will be apparent that any number of tow lines` up to the number of groove and cavity sets provided in the tail section 18, may be threaded through the opening at the distal end of the cap 32 and each rope may then have its enlarged end seated in one of the cavities and its ad jacent portion entered in the corresponding groove. Thereupon, when the cap is pressed home upon the tail section 18, the several rope ends will be securely retained relative to said tail section. While the ropes will not themselves exert any signicant force tending to cause axial movement of the cap 32 relative to the tail portion 1S, water resistance might exert such a tendency .as the boat 12 moves; and therefore it is deemed desirable to provide the retaining means 23, 33, 34 to hold the cap airmatively in place. Thus, the cap will be initially mounted upon the tail section 18 with its ears 33 and 34 peripherally spaced from the tingers 23, 23. Thereupon. a turning movement of the cap in one direction or the other relative to the connector body will cause the ears 33 and 34 toenter the spaces between the fingers 23 and the shoulder 21; and such turning movement will be coritinued until the key 36 snaps into one o the rope-accommodating grooves. ln this fashion, the cap will be securely retained against an; movement reiative to the tail section which might resut from forces encountered as the boat moves with its tows; yet the cap may be readily manually' removed to permit assembly or disassembly 0 of one or more tow lines with the connector.

I claim as my invention: 1. tgwconnectoncomprising a hollow, water-tight,

. and said tail portion further being formed with a longitudinally-extending, perimetrally-opening groove extending from each cavity through the distal end of said tail portion, and a cap snugly embracing said nosev portion and overlying the radially-outward region of the vdistal ends of all of said grooves.

2. :Ihetow connector-of claim 1 in which said -body and cap-,when assembled, is suiciently water-buoyant to remain -aoat while supporting a rope threaded throughsaid opening and a rope having an expanded end seated in each cavity and emerging through the associated groove.

3. The tow connector of claim 1 including cooperable retainer means on said body yand on said cap, said register 4 means resisting axial movement of said cap relative to said body when mutually engaged.

4. The tow connector of claim 3 in .vvhich saidretainer means comprises a plurality of outturned ears at the proximal end of said cap and a. corresponding number of inturned fingers on said body adjacent the proximal end of said tail portion, said fingers overlying and spaced from the shoulder defined at the juncture of said body and said tail portion and said ears being engageable, by rotational movement of said cap, between said shoulder and said ngers.

5. The tow connector of claim 4 in which said cap is internally provided with a key disposed to enter one of said grooves when said ears are so engaged, to resist rotational movement of said cap relative to said body.

No references cited.

MILTON BUCHLER, Primary Examiner.

20 T, M. BLIX, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A TOW CONNECTOR COMPRISING A HOLLOW, WATER-TIGHT, INTEGRAL BODY HAVING A REDUCED, SOLID TAIL PORTION AND A FURTHER REDUCED, SOLID NOSE PORTION, SAID NOSE PORTION HAVING A TRANSVERSE OPENING THERETHROUGH, SAID TAIL PORTION BEING FORMED WITH A PLURALITY OF PERIMETRALLY-SPACED CAVITIES, EACH OPENING THROUGH THE PERIMETER OF SAID TAIL PORTION ADJACENT THE PROXIMAL END OF SAID TAIL PORTION, AND SAID TAIL PORTION FURTHER BEING FORMED WITH A LONGITUDINALLY-EXTENDING, PERIMETRALLY-OPENING GROOVE EXTENDING FROM EACH CAVITY THROUGH THE DISTAL END OF SAID TAIL 